Advances in carbon sequestration technology using marine microalgae

ABSTRACT

The ocean is the largest carbon reservoir on Earth and serves as a significant sink for atmospheric CO₂. Of the known mechanisms for ocean CO₂ absorption, the biological pump is considered the most important for carbon sequestration due to its economic and efficient advantages. Using microalgae to capture CO₂ has several advantages, including a short cultivation period, high carbon sequestration efficiency, and a low investment cost. This article provides an overview of the methods used to screen algae species in microalgal carbon sequestration technology, as well as the expected effects of carbon sequestration. This article analyzes the appropriate cultivation conditions for algae, including the type of photobioreactor, light intensity, CO₂ concentration, and nutritional requirements. The article contends that achieving accurate control of multiple environmental factors during microalgal cultivation and optimizing the internal structure of the cultivation device are key components for improving microalgal biomass production and CO₂ fixation ability. The results of life-cycle assessments (LCA) indicate that the production of high-value compounds using microalgae is capable of achieving negative carbon emissions. Finally, this paper evaluates the practicality and economic feasibility of microalgae carbon sequestration and also discusses the future challenges and prospects for the development of this technology.

KEYWORDS:

• Biological pump
• microalgae
• carbon sequestration
• photobioreactor

Acknowledgements

Conceptualization, Kui Wang; Investigation, Writing – original draft preparation, Kui Wang, Zixuan Min, and Weiqi Fu; Supervision, Kui Wang; Writing – review and editing, Kui Wang, Zixuan Min, Weiqi Fu, and Bin Wu. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Key R&D Program of Zhejiang [grant number #2023C03011], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number U23A2033;41976154], the Science Foundation of Donghai Laboratory [grant number DH-2022KF0205], the Bureau of Science and Technology of [grant number 2022C81006], and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province of China [grant number LY20D060007].